


when the morning comes

by AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: (not completely), Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Angst and Feels, Child Abuse, F/M, Fucked Up, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Not Canon Compliant, Prompt Fill, also the timeline is royally screwed up, au where daisy lives with the ward fam, bear with me, eli is not a dick, in which i take canon and toss it out the fuckin window
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2018-12-24 20:23:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12020301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed/pseuds/AllTheNamesIWantedWereUsed
Summary: 'She lets out a deep breath, and it sounds like her soul is leaving her along with that sigh. “I just don’t know how to look forward anymore,” she confesses, not meeting his eyes, and his heart twists a bit at her admission.'Or: In which Robbie tries to help Daisy pull through hell, high school, and a house that feels nowhere close to homeTitle comes from A Great Big World's "When The Morning Comes"





	1. we're gonna make it

**Author's Note:**

  * For [whistlingwindtree](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whistlingwindtree/gifts).



> Based on the prompt by whistlingwindtree: "I just don't know how to look forward anymore."

He picks her up behind the school, where mold and vines grow on the faded bricks and stoners gather to smoke, but at this hour, it’s just them and the waning silver moon in the sky. She’s waiting for him, leaning up against the brick wall, and the headlights illuminate her figure in the dead night. The halo of light would make her look like an angel if it weren’t for the way she’s dressed in black from head to toe, a backpack with one broken strap over her shoulder. Perhaps fallen angel would be a more apropos description.

 

She opens the passenger’s side door, sliding into the seat and settling in like she belongs there, which of course she does. She’s so close but still too far away for comfort as she looks over at him and tries to smile, but he knows that it’s only her trying (and failing) to convince the both of them that she’s okay.

 

The air between them pulses with unsaid words as he drives, stealing looks at her whenever he can. Her bottom lip is marred with a cut that practically glows crimson in the passing haze of the yellow streetlights, and her jawline is tinged with bruising. His hands tighten on the steering wheel when he sees it, grateful for the gloves that hide his whitened knuckles from her gaze. It only upsets her more if he reacts to it, and he's loath to see her cry any more times than he has already. 

 

He pulls into the driveway of his house, taking care to be as quiet as possible as they both get out of the car. He peers at the window of the living room, and can see the blue glow of the television through the pale curtains, conveying that entry through the front door is not an option. He only needs to glance back at her for her to understand and she follows him around the outside walls of the house.

 

He finds the window to his bedroom, and removes the makeshift prop of a textbook from earlier, pushing up the frame and glass. She climbs in with a quiet and practiced grace and he follows, taking less care than her not to tread on the sheets of his bed, which sits right under the windowsill. He replaces the textbook, and gently closes the window on it, and pulls the curtains closed. His math teacher would probably kill him if she knew what he was doing to the book, but what she doesn’t know won’t kill her, he thinks.

 

“Thanks, Robbie.” Her voice is quiet and a bit coarse from not speaking, and he looks up at her where she sits on the mattress, legs crossed and shoulders slumping forward, her dark eyes bright in the ever-present moonlight.

 

“Always, _chica,”_ he replies, tucking her hair behind her ear before capturing her chin in his hand, fingers skimming feather-light over the bruises. She forces a sardonic grin, then winces, ever so slightly, enough that he drops his hand and makes a path for the door to steal into the kitchen without saying a word, unzipping his jacket and draping it over his desk chair on his way out.  She doesn’t question it; they’ve been here enough times for this to become routine.

 

He passes through the living room, taking care to be as silent as possible. The television continues to drone on, some old western playing as his brother, Gabe, sleeps on the couch, open textbooks and notebook paper scattered across the coffee table.

 

Robbie moves on into the brightly lit kitchen, pulling open the freezer door and taking out an ice pack, feeling the cold through his gloves while listening for any complications. Fortunately, there aren’t any other sounds apart from the T.V. and Gabe’s snoring and he’s grateful that Uncle Eli is still at work. The more discrete they are and the less his uncle knows, the better.

 

At least, that’s what she thinks.

* * *

 When he slips back into the bedroom, she’s still sitting on his bed, motionless and gazing out the window through the haze of the curtains even though there’s nothing there but a moonlit sky, a lawn that needs mowing and a chain-link fence. Her fingers travel along the seams of the quilt that lays on it, and Daisy remembers Robbie telling her that his grandmother had made it right before he was born. The mattress dips a bit under his weight as he carefully settles next to her so as not to startle her and she turns her head back to face him. He holds out the ice pack in offering, and she takes it, her thanks conveyed in a simple glance, pressing it to the bruises on her jawline, reveling in the way the sudden chill chases away all other emotions for a split second.

 

“You okay?” he asks, his voice rough.

 

She shrugs, her shoulders rising and falling a fraction of an inch. “As okay as I can be right now,” she answers, her voice equally uneven due to their silence.

 

“What happened?” he says gently, pulling off his gloves and tossing them on top of his jacket, stripping away the last of his day-to-day armor. He asks this question every time, and after so many times the _‘you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to’_ s and the _‘it’s okay if you just want to be somewhere else’_ s no longer need to be spoken, but they’re still there, in the softness in his eyes and the air between them like so many other things.

 

“The usual,” she replies tonelessly, her way of saying she’d rather not elaborate, because ‘the usual’ can range from a variety of things, from her foster brothers being assholes to getting in the way during a drinking binge.

 

Robbie understands, and all possible responses have already taken to the night air a long time ago, so he stays quiet, his way of letting her go on, should she want to. Her mind drifts, spiraling down into its path of worst-case scenarios for when/if anyone notices she's gone before segueing into her constant mantra of  _I need to get out of there._

 

The chill of the ice pack becomes a gentle burn, and since she’s had enough pain today, she sets the ice pack down on the blanket next to her and fiddles with her hands, noticing her fingertips colored pink from the cold, shaking slightly.

 

Robbie takes her hands in his, and there’s something unfailingly comforting about the calluses on his skin and the way his thumb caresses her knuckles, and Daisy finds herself falling a little farther every time.

* * *

 “It won’t be much longer, Daisy,” he says softly, lacing his fingers through hers.

 

“I know,” she says, staring down at their intertwined hands. “I just…” She lets out a deep breath, and it sounds like her soul is leaving her along with that sigh. “I just don’t know how to look forward anymore,” she confesses, not meeting his eyes, and his heart twists a bit at her admission.

 

To see her like this, it’s a stark contrast from the girl he sees in the hallways during the week, and it’s times like these when he wonders how many of her earlier smiles are false, and when he wishes he could do more to make them real.

 

“It’ll get better,” he assures her, trying to convince himself as well as her. “This is it. Once next year’s over, you’ll be out of the system, and we’ll be able to work things out.” They’ve been over this before, practically counting down the days to when she’s no longer at the mercy of social services, to when she can leave the foster home and live somewhere better, though still in reach of each other.

 

Her eyes remain downcast, so he tilts her chin up to meet her gaze. “I mean it,” he says. “Uncle Eli just got this engineering job at some stuffy energy lab, so things are definitely looking up. I mean, I still gotta work at Canelo’s, but I don’t have to drop out anymore.”

 

A small smile curves her lips. “Seriously? You can stay in school?”

 

He nods, and her smile grows a little wider, and he’s relieved to see it’s real. “That’s great, Robbie,” she says genuinely, and her fingers curl around his a little tighter.

 

He shrugs in an effort to downplay it all, but he won’t deny that Uncle Eli’s newest job has lifted a sizable burden from his shoulders. “Yeah, it’s pretty great,” he says. “Now I just have to keep my grades up to graduate.” It feels odd, playing optimist, as that’s usually a role he lets Gabe star in. Daisy used to have a lot more positivity, but her reserves have dipped considerably in comparison to when he first met her.

 

“I’ll help you if you need it,” she promises, and he grins at the way her eyes seem to glow a little brighter.

 

“See what I mean, though? It’s going to get better, it always does.” His thumb brushes across her cheek, and he leans forward to press a gentle kiss to the bruises on her jawline.

 

“I hope so,” she whispers softly, almost as if she’s divulging some sort of forbidden secret, like it’s dangerous for her to wish for anything anymore, and when she kisses him under the watchful eye of the moonlight, he hopes that his words are more than an idealized dream.


	2. i will hear your heart beating

Daisy doesn’t sleep much anymore, not since she moved to her current foster home, where there are four other kids, all bonded by blood (though not by much else) and parents that make her question the legitimacy of social services’ vetting programs. If she’s learned anything from the Ward family, it’s keep your head down and don’t start anything. Get dragged into something, and it’s like being thrown to the lions.

 

Right now, though, she’s not in the lions’ den, and that’s all that matters at the moment.

 

The high-pitched, tinny beeping of the digital alarm is what wakes her, not the sound of her foster brother crying, or the creaking of a floorboard that can lead down so many undesirable paths. There’s a blissfully normal feeling to waking up to an alarm, and she pushes away acknowledging the fact that this isn’t a feeling she should get used to.

 

Robbie stirs a bit at the sounding of the alarm, an unintelligible, muttered curse falling from his lips as he reaches an arm(the one not wrapped around her shoulders) out and smacks the snooze button. Thankfully for him, the alarm is just within reach and he doesn’t knock it off the nightstand like he did last time. She lets out a quiet, breathy laugh that fans out over the dip of his collarbone, not yet opening her eyes; instead she buries her face into the crook of his neck, prolonging the inevitable.

 

Her hand rests just above his heart, curled into a loose fist as a steady rhythm beats under her fingertips; she pretends not to notice how it quickens ever so slightly as she draws circles in the red cotton of his shirt.

 

She’s dreading the moment she has to let go of this, this feeling of being in the right place, to let go of this sense of belonging.

 

To let go of him.

* * *

 

“We have to get up eventually, you know,” he murmurs to her, letting his fingers card through her hair.

 

“‘Eventually’ doesn’t mean now,” she says.

 

As if on cue, a knock sounds at his door, and Daisy tenses ever so slightly. “Robbie? Are you awake?” Eli says on the other side.

 

“Yeah, _Tío_ , I’ll be right out,” Robbie replies, and his uncle’s footsteps fade away. Daisy untangles herself from him, sitting up and running a hand through her hair, and he misses her warmth almost instantly. Her eyes drift down to her backpack on the floor, and he can see the gears in her mind turning as she twists the old ring on her finger, the only thing she has left from her birth parents. It was her mother’s, she’s said.

 

“What are you thinking?” he asks, pushing himself up into a sitting position.

 

“Just….planning out later.” R ight. Because as much as they both hate it, she always has to go back. He always feels like he’s sending the princess back to the dragon.

 

“Can you get someone to cover for you?” he asks.

 

“Grant will do it, or Mary,”she says with a sort of grim certainty. “After that...I’ll figure something out.”

 

He trusts that she’ll know what to do, but he hates her having such a learned approach to this situation.

 

“You should go get ready,” she says quietly.

 

He nods. “I think we should let _Tío_ know you're here,” he says, and something flickers in her expression.

 

“I don’t want you and your family getting more involved than you all already are, Robbie,” she replies.

 

“He won’t ask questions. He hasn’t before,” Robbie coaxes.

 

“It’s not the questions I’m worried about.”

 

“We won’t let anything happen, Daisy. I promise.”

 

She’s quiet for a few moments. “Okay,” she says, whispers, really. “Just...let me get concealer or something for-” She gestures aimlessly at the bruises on her face.

 

“Yeah, of course.”

 

She reaches into her backpack, pulling out a small pouch, and they both slide off the bed, and Robbie takes the lead down the hallway, letting Daisy duck into the bathroom on the way.

 

Gabe’s finishing up the last of his homework at the table, and Eli is busy with the coffee maker at the counter, and Robbie makes a beeline for him.

 

“ _Tío,_ I need to tell you something,” Robbie says, lowering his voice so that Gabe doesn’t hear and think something’s wrong.

 

“What is it?” his uncle replies, pressing the button on the coffee maker. Robbie decides not to beat around the bush.

 

“Daisy needed a place to stay last night...I brought her here.” Eli raises his eyebrows. This isn’t exactly the first time, and unfortunately, probably not the last.

 

“Is she alright?”

 

“She’s fine, I just think things got heavy last night, is all.”

 

“Well, if she’s already here, we might as well give her a ride, hm?” Eli says, his way of saying that Daisy’s presence here isn’t a problem.

 

Robbie cracks a smile at that.

 

“However, you two do need to be careful,” Eli adds. “Especially if she’s crashing in your room-”

 

“ _Tío_ , it’s not like that,” Robbie says, shaking his head.

 

“Sure. Don’t forget, Robbie, I was your age once,” Eli says, unconvinced. He glances over his shoulder, and Robbie follows his gaze to see Daisy hanging back in the doorway of the kitchen, arms crossed as if she’s trying to shrink. The bruises are less noticeable, but there’s nothing they can do about that cut lip.

 

“Oh, hey, Daisy,” Gabe says, not as surprised as one might expect. As stated before, it’s not the first time.

 

“Hi, Gabe,” she replies softly.

 

“Would you like some coffee, Daisy?” Eli offers.

 

“Thanks, Mr. Morrow, but I’m okay,” Daisy replies.

  
“Come now, _margarita,_ I’ve told you ‘Mr. Morrow’ makes me feel old. You can call me Eli,” he says genially, making Daisy offer a soft smile along with, “Fair enough,” and it’s not until Daisy asks Gabe how debate club is going that Robbie thinks about how _right_ it feels for her to be here and not in that hellhole she has to call home for another year.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen I would have killed for more development of the Reyes boys and Eli's familial relationship as well as Eli Morrow's development so for the sake of my own self-indulgence, Eli Morrow is actually a Good Person in this fic bc he was never exposed to the Darkhold.


	3. we can take it

Daisy’s thankful she doesn’t have to wait at the bus stop with her foster siblings anymore, since Robbie and his uncle are willing to go out of their way to pick her up and her apologies for  ‘being an inconvenience’ are always ardently waved away.

 

It doesn’t make it any easier to look Robbie’s uncle in the eye. She’s not sure why, but there’s just this ever-present glow of shame burning in her chest nowadays, even though she knows that nothing’s her fault. 

 

There are days when she can’t even meet Robbie’s gaze without the burn in her chest turning white-hot(with a few other emotions too) at the warmth in his eyes.

 

She fiddles with the broken strap on her backpack, mind wandering until there’s too many scenarios running through her brain and her hands start to tremble slightly. Instead of thinking about the possible near future, she latches onto Gabe, who’s telling an all-too-happy-to-listen Eli and Robbie about the robotics club at Carter Academy. She doesn’t understand a thing he’s saying, but it gives her something to focus on. 

 

She sees the faded sign signaling their arrival at Garfield High and it isn’t long until the Charger rolls to a stop in front of the school. As if in sync, the two of them climb out of the Charger and up the sidewalk to the old bricked building, and the black car pulls away as Eli heads in the direction of Gabe’s school.

 

“You should go find Mike and Elena,” Daisy suggests, as per their routine, and when Robbie goes to find their friends, she does what she usually does on mornings like this, and heads for the nearest bathroom.

 

She yanks open the heavy metal door, and it swings shut behind her with a thud as she ducks into a stall, the token largest one, with a sink and purse hook.

 

She stares into the cracked, fogged mirror above the sink, her hands gripping the chipped porcelain. It won’t be much longer, she tells herself. Day by day, until she’s clutching her diploma in hand, she can do this. 

 

She runs a hand through her hair, grimacing before reaching into her freakishly overfilled backpack, pulling out a change of clothes and a small pouch of in-case-of-emergency supplies she’s risked spending the rare bit of money on: face wipes, dry shampoo, a toothbrush, et cetera. 

 

Sometimes, there are just nights where she doesn’t feel safe enough coming out of her room to cross the hall and take a shower.

 

Occasionally, if she’s discreet enough, she’ll hazard a shower at Robbie’s house, but that’s a rare occurrence and not something she can depend on (not to mention a luxury that costs a bit more pride than she wants to give up). 

 

She cleans up the best she can before pulling on the fresher clothes, frowning as she notes that the shirt she swiped from Mary doesn’t quite cover her midriff or the dress code. Damn. Being caught violating dress code isn’t as likely as she might think, but she’d rather avoid being noticed by the administration as much as possible, so she manages to extricate a hoodie that probably belonged to Robbie at some point from the depths of her backpack and slips it on, zipping it just enough to cover the ‘indecent exposure,’ thankful that her shorts at least pass the requirements.

 

Definitely Robbie’s hoodie. It still smells like him and the sleeves are too long for her arms. 

 

She doesn’t do much in the way of makeup, just dabs on a little more concealer and adds a few swipes of cheap red lipstick in an attempt to hide the cut on her lip, but it only draws more attention, so she scrubs it off and makes up a story to tell if asked.

 

Rolling back her shoulders, she takes a deep breath. Her name is Daisy Johnson, she’s happy, outgoing and lives in a house where she doesn’t have to be afraid to leave her room. She’s got decent enough foster siblings and can regularly take a shower without having to lock the bathroom door and worry about someone coming in anyway. She’s happy she’s happy she’s  _ happy. _

 

It might not be true, but she just needs to believe it long enough to make other people believe it.

* * *

 

Daisy stands a little taller and looks far brighter than she did the night before as she walks up to the table where he sits with Mike Peterson and Elena Rodriguez. He wonders how much of that brightness is faked. 

 

“Look who’s finally decided to join us,” Elena teases, tossing her braid over her shoulder, and Daisy laughs as she slings the backpack off her shoulder and slides into the seat next to Robbie, and he’s 99% sure she’s wearing his hoodie, but he lets it go because hey, she looks pretty damn cute. 

 

“What can I say? I’d be lost without my loyal subjects,” Daisy retorts, grinning as Elena chucks a paper ball at her head, but Robbie catches it before it ever reaches its intended target.

 

“If you’re the queen, what does that make Robbie?” Elena inquires, shooting Robbie a mock dirty look for foiling her plot.

 

“My knight in shining armor, obviously.”

 

“Aww,” Elena and Mike chorus, and Robbie sends the ball back to Elena, smacking her in the forehead. 

 

“Some knight,” Mike comments. 

 

“How was football practice yesterday, Mike?” Robbie changes the subject. “The new assistant coach any better?”

 

“Oh my God, you would not believe the amount of icebreakers we do. Coach Mace is literally insane, I swear, all he ever says is that stupid motto: ‘A team that trusts-”

 

“‘-Is a team that triumphs,’” the rest of them finish. 

 

“Yeah, whatever. I think Coach Garrett is pretty close to telling him where to stick that dumbass saying.”

 

“Football,” Elena mutters. “This American version is horrible. So confusing!” 

 

“Well, we can’t all be as wonderful as Colombia when it comes to sports,” Daisy says loftily, and her smile falters a bit as she looks over to the bus loop, just in time to see the worn yellow bus her foster siblings ride pull up and unload. Robbie’s arm settles across her shoulders as Daisy makes a point of focusing the conversation on the science homework, determinedly avoiding the gazes of her foster brothers as they walk by.

 

They pass, and the tension in her shoulders eases ever so slightly but doesn’t go away completely.

 

He wishes he could make it disappear, but the only visible solution to that is a school year and a quarter away.

* * *

 

“You okay, Robbie?” Mike asks, and Daisy glances over to see Robbie nod and look over his shoulder, no doubt keeping an eye on her foster siblings. It’s not surprising, really after everything she’s told him.

 

He’s the only one she’s ever told about what goes on at the Ward household, and even then, he doesn’t know everything.

 

Well, describing the Ward family is difficult...God, where to begin?

 

Christian, the oldest, is the type of guy you just  _ knew _ was going to be a serial killer someday, with a perpetual sneer and an intent stare that makes Daisy shrink whenever she’s the subject of it. She tries to avoid him, but when he isn’t making life hell for his immediate siblings, she’s always next.

 

Grant’s next, and he isn’t as horrible...maybe. Daisy’s never not sure. He’s tall, stoic, and acts tough, but Daisy knows he’s terrified of Christian, and willing to do a lot of things to avoid getting hurt, even if that meant taking out Christian’s frustrations on the others.

 

She won't lie, the way he looks at her sometimes makes her concern for her safety worse.

 

Mary comes after and she’s Grant’s twin, but they’re far from close. She and Daisy share a room stays out of the house as much as possible, never talks to anyone, just keeps her head down and gets good grades. 

 

And then there’s Thomas, who’s had all the light in his eyes pounded out of him before she ever got there, the most common target of Christian’s abuse(there’s really no other word for it),  the one she wishes she could save. 

 

She keeps talking, though, keeps smiling, because at this point she doesn’t know what else to do. Really, though, that’s all she’s been doing for a while.

 

The bell rings, finally, and they all complain as they get up to go to class, and Daisy wrinkles her nose at the prospect of having math first thing in the morning. 

 

“Save us a seat at lunch,  _ chica!”  _ Elena calls as she heads off, and Mike breaks away in the opposite direction for chemistry, and rather than follow him, Robbie stays with her.

 

“Aren’t you going to go with Mike?” Daisy says, puzzled, since Robbie has the same first class as Mike.

 

“How about I walk you to pre-calc?” he suggests, and she’s not entirely sure why he seems so on edge until she sees that he’s glaring past her. She turns just enough to see Grant, standing in front of the school, eyeing them both, no doubt waiting for Robbie to leave so he can talk to her, and Daisy’s stomach turns a bit in anxiety.

 

Still, that doesn’t stop her from saying, “I don’t want you to be late,” because the science wing is on the other side of campus. 

 

“It’s not a problem,” Robbie says, and she’s not willing to argue, since she wants to avoid Grant as much as Robbie does.

 

“Come on. I don’t want  _ you _ to be late,” Robbie says, slipping his hand into hers, and she won’t lie and say she doesn’t notice the way his grip on her hand tightens a little bit when the walk past Grant, like at any moment Grant might try and rip her away from him. 

 

She doesn’t mention it, though, just like Robbie doesn’t mention how her hold becomes little stronger at the same time. 


	4. it happened so fast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: references to abuse as well as the act of actual physical abuse, plus gaslighting and emotional manipulation

There are some people that, no matter what, don’t feel right. There’s something about them that makes them seem ridiculously out of place, like they should be standing on the street corner in a horror movie rather than on the front steps of a high school. They radiate something that makes them uncomfortable to be around.

 

Maybe they’ve never done anything to bother you. Maybe they’ve only ever bumped into you in the hallway, or annoyed the hell out of one of your friends for some arbitrary reason. Whatever it is, you don’t like them.

 

That pretty much sums up how Robbie feels about Grant Ward, or at least how he felt about the guy before Daisy showed up. Now he’s got reasons to not like Grant, reasons that actually hold water and make sense.

 

For one thing, there’s the stories Daisy tells him about the things that Grant’s done to Thomas and Mary. Black eyes, sprained wrists and bruises in unnoticeable places are just a few common occurrences done to keep Grant’s own sorry ass safe from Christian.

 

Robbie can’t get behind that. He’s met Thomas Ward, who’s Gabe’s age and a quiet kid who’s never hurt anybody, and he looks like the type of person who’s folded in on themselves for their own protection.

 

Someone could hold a gun to his head, but Robbie wouldn’t ever hurt Gabe, no matter what. To think that Grant could do that to his own little brother put him in a spotlight of contempt that Robbie couldn’t direct away even if he tried.

 

There’s something about the way that Grant looks at Daisy that he really doesn’t like either. It’s not because Daisy isn’t allowed to talk to other guys, it’s because there’s something about Grant that just radiates _wrong_ , like he’s going be a serial killer someday.

 

Robbie’s never been one for God, but he sure as hell prays that graduation comes quickly.

* * *

 

“I’ve been looking for you.”

 

It’s third period, and Daisy tenses when she hears the voice, turning slowly to face Grant, the two of them alone in an empty hallway. It’s times like these where Daisy wishes Grant wasn’t a goddamn hall monitor. All she wanted was to go the bathroom.

 

“I’ll bet,” she mutters, steeling herself for the ensuing conversation.

 

“Well if it weren’t for your boyfriend-”

 

“What do you want, Grant?” she says through gritted teeth, turning to a nearby bulletin board, discreetly pulling a thumbtack out of one of the lower corners of a poster advertising the school play auditions.

 

“Why are you always so hostile?” he says, defensive.

 

“Don’t you dare act like you have a right to ask that,” she snaps.

 

“Maybe I was trying to apologize.”

 

“For what, this?” she says, pointing to where the bruise on her face still stings.

 

“Doesn’t look so bad,” he says dismissively.

 

“It’s called makeup, asshole,” she bites back. “And it fucking hurts.” Her words ring in the hallway, and they both fall silent at the sound of the girls’ bathroom door opening and closing, waiting to hear the fading footsteps.

 

“I said I was sorry about last night,” Grant says, more quietly now.

 

“Actually, you didn’t, but that doesn’t matter. If you really were sorry, you wouldn’t have done it.”

 

“Hey, I went easy on you,” Grant says angrily. “You think Christian would have held back?”

 

“This isn’t about what Christian did. It’s about what you did.”

 

“He makes me do this shit, Daisy, you know that.” Grant’s voice shook a bit.

 

Daisy scoffed. “Christian doesn’t make you do anything. You’re just a fucking coward.”

 

She’s hit a nerve, she knows, as Grant’s shoulders tense, his breathing becoming uneven. “What am I supposed to do about it?” he hisses.

 

“How about you defend Thomas for once instead of doing Christian’s dirty work, you fucking piece of-”

 

His hand cracks across her face, and she stumbles, having to brace against the wall for support. Cheek stinging, she glares up at him as he looks down at his hand as if in shock.

 

“Shit, Daisy, I didn’t mean to-”

 

“Yeah, you’re real sorry, I can tell,” she snaps.

 

“You pissed me off, I-”

 

“Don’t even bother, just fuck off,” she says, turning away.

 

 _“Don’t you walk away from me.”_ Grant’s hand closes around her arm in an iron grip, and she’s had enough. The thumbtack she’s been holding is driven through his hand, and Grant hisses loudly, pulling away.

 

“Don’t. Touch. Me,” Daisy says, her hands balling into fists. “Don’t talk to me either. I don’t even want you to look at me. Just go away.”

 

Grant looks as though he wants to argue, but of course, hall monitor duty calls, so instead, he cradles his bleeding hand and storms off.

 

Daisy sighs as he turns the corner and out of sight, suddenly very tired with the loss of adrenaline.

 

“Daisy?”

 

She spins on her heel to see Elena standing there, looking horrified.

 

“Elena-”

 

“What the hell was that?” Elena demands. “I come out of the bathroom and hear drama, and next thing I know I see this?”

 

“How much did you hear?” Daisy asks, anxiety churning in her stomach. If Elena told Robbie about this, Daisy knew he wouldn’t let it slide, and she wasn’t going to let him get suspended because of her.

 

“Too much, by the look on your face,” Elena replies. “Does he do that often?”

 

Daisy drops Elena’s gaze, giving her friend the answer.

 

“ _Voy a matar a ese cabrón-_ wait...that time in the locker room, when you had those bruises on your shoulder,” Elena recalls, realization dawning on her. “You said you fell. It was him, wasn’t it?”

 

“I...technically,” Daisy admits.

 

“What does that mean?” Elena says, outraged. “Hold on- does Robbie know about this?”

 

“He knows enough,” Daisy says shortly. “Please don’t tell him about this, I don’t want him getting in trouble.”

 

Incensed, Elena stares at her, silently fuming before finally saying, “Fine. I won’t.”

 

“Thank you-”

 

“As long as you tell him,” Elena adds. “He shouldn’t have to hear it from me, but he deserves to know.”

 

Daisy stares as Elena turns and walks down the hallway, standing there with a still stinging cheek and curled fists. Resisting the urge to tear down a poster, she starts to make her way back to third period, and it’s not until she’s back in her desk that she realizes she forgot to actually go to the bathroom. With a sigh, she puts her head down and tries to calm the shaking in her hands.

* * *

 

Lunch is different, and Robbie can’t quite figure out why. It’s him, Mike, Elena and her boyfriend, Mack sitting at their table as they wait for Daisy to show up. Elena’s looking at him oddly and he’s not sure why, but Mack and Mike keep him distracted enough with all their football talk that he can’t really focus on it.

 

“Hey, there’s our girl!” Mack says, pausing in his play-by-play of the last practice to grin at Daisy, who’s finally arrived and the small table echoes him in genial cheers.

 

Robbie smiles up at her, and she returns it, but something’s off. She doesn’t sit down, and she keeps wringing her hands. She glances across the table for a moment but quickly turns her attention back to him.

 

“Can I talk to you for a second?” she says, quiet enough that the cafeteria’s chaos drowns out her words to the others.

 

He nods assent, sliding off of his seat and slinging his backpack over one shoulder as he stands amid boos and groans from Mack and Mike both.

 

“C’mon man, you can’t leave us,” Mike complains.

 

“Aw, don’t worry, Peterson, I’ll be back in time for you to tell me how Lincoln High is gonna kick your ass next game,” Robbie says, grinning.

 

“Harsh,” Mike says, shaking his head.

 

“Come on, let them talk,” Elena says, and the teasing from the table fades away as he follows Daisy out the cafeteria and down the hall, before ducking into a staircase tucked behind a wooden door that leads down to the science wing.

 

“Something wrong?” he says, seeing the way she leans against the rails, arms crossed, eyes downcast.

 

She’s quiet for a moment, and he gives her the time to group together whatever she needs to say.

 

Then she takes a deep breath, and speaks.

 

“Elena knows.”


	5. we're still alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a rollercoaster of a chapter and I apologize,
> 
> (Sorry not sorry)

“Elena knows.”

 

Robbie’s stomach knots at Daisy’s words, a million different thoughts flying through his head at once.

 

“You told her?” he says carefully. Who Daisy tells about her situation is her business, but the look on Daisy’s face makes him think it wasn’t what she wanted.

 

“I wish that’s how it happened,” Daisy sighs.

 

“But it didn’t,” Robbie says. “So what really went down?”

 

Daisy wrings her hands a bit as she says, “I...had a talk with Grant earlier, in the hall. Elena just happened to overhear some of it.”

 

Robbie’s hackles raise at the mention of Grant. “What did Grant say that made Elena connect the dots?” he asks, trying to calm the simmering fire in his chest.

 

“He-he said he wanted to apologize. About what happened last night, before I asked you to come get me. Not that any apologizing actually happened-”

 

“‘About what happened last night?’ Did he mean the bruises?” Robbie interjects. Daisy doesn’t look at him, and Robbie swears through his teeth, pacing the stairwell.

 

“Would’ve been worse if Christian did it,” she says dully.

 

“I don’t care who did it, you shouldn’t have to deal with that-” He cuts himself off, trying to calm down. Daisy’s only going to get more upset if he blows up.

 

“Then what?” he says, his voice tight.

 

She fidgets, crossing her arms over her chest. “I pissed him off. You know how he gets when he’s angry. Now Elena knows too.” Her voice breaks, and she seems to fold in on herself a bit, fixing her gaze on the floor.

 

Robbie swallows the lump of anger in his throat, forcing the tension out of his shoulders as he approaches her.

 

“Did he hit you again?” His voice is quiet, hands gentle as they come to rest on her shoulders.

 

She takes a shaky breath. “It was my fault, I made him angry, I-”

 

“Hey,” he breaks in, brushing her hair behind her ear. “Look at me, please, _querida_.”

 

Slowly, she raises her head, eyes brimming and spilling over.

 

“Nothing they do is ever going to be your fault,” he says, quiet but firm, cupping her face in his hands, “Ever. You aren’t responsible for what they do, alright?”

 

Her slight nod releases a few more tears, and he wipes them away with his thumb.

 

“I’m sorry,” she says, sounding small, “For all of this.”

 

He pulls her into a hug. “You haven’t done anything wrong,” he says softly, pressing a kiss to her hair, “You don’t need to apologize for anything.” Sentences flit about inside his head and roll around on his tongue, but he can’t say any of them because they all begin with _I love you._

 

Instead, he holds her until the bell rings and whispers promises of better days, and even once they’re separated by several halls, he can’t stop thinking about her as he glares at the back of Grant Ward’s head in chemistry, hoping the other boy can feel Robbie’s eyes burning into him.

* * *

 

Elena finds Daisy at her locker just after fourth period, inbetween the transition of classes.

 

“Yes, I told him,” Daisy says, rifling through the scattered papers in her locker, not looking at her friend.

 

“That’s not what I’m here for,” Elena says.

 

Daisy doesn’t say anything.

 

“Listen, I know you’re probably upset with me,” Elena begins.

 

“Just tired,” Daisy replies, shutting her locker, though she’s not entirely sure just what she’s feeling about Elena’s actions at the moment.

 

“Daisy.” Elena catches her wrist, and Daisy relents, bringing her gaze up to meet Elena’s.

 

“I’m sorry for being like I was. It wasn’t directed at you, I-” Elena pauses. “I was angry at Grant, for treating you like that, and I think I was angry at myself, too, for not realizing the truth. It wasn’t fair to you for me to be like that, and I apologize.”

 

“It’s fine. Just...don’t go after Grant. It makes things worse,” Daisy says. Forgiving Elena is easy, making sure she doesn’t go after the Ward brothers is another thing entirely.

 

“...Fine,” Elena says grudgingly. “You will let me know if there’s anything I can do, right? My cousin will be fine with you staying with us whenever you need to.”

 

“I will. And thank you, Elena,  I might take you up on that,” Daisy says. She’s loath to be a burden to anyone, but maybe she could make things a little easier on the Reyes household.

 

“Good,” Elena says, looking relieved. “I have to run to my next class, but I wanted to make sure you heard me out.”

 

“Consider yourself heard,” Daisy replies. “I gotta dash, but I’ll message you later.”

 

They part ways, and for the first time in a long time, Daisy wonders if she could make it.

* * *

 

Daisy doesn’t see Robbie again until sixth period, per their usual schedule. Despite getting the mess with Elena off her chest, it doesn’t calm the anxiety seizing her heart, knowing she still has to go back to the Ward household at the end of the day.

 

A folded corner torn off of a piece of notebook paper finds itself on her desk. She smiles over at Robbie, who is studiously pretending that he’s paying attention to the current lecture on the Cold War.

 

Unfolding the paper, she reads, scrawled in Robbie’s messily legible handwriting, _Moonraker after school?_

 

She twirls a pen in her fingers before writing _sure_ under it, turning the tail of the _e_ into a heart because why not? before folding it back. Keeping her eyes on the turned back of Mrs. Alvarez, she sets it on the edge of Robbie’s desk, a bit smug at the few perks that do come with sitting in the back.

 

Still, even when the bell rings, she can’t help but focus on what’s to come.

* * *

“I swear to God, this machine is rigged,” Robbie says, flipping off the blinking arcade box in front of him.

 

“No, baby, you’re just shit at Pac-man,” Daisy laughs, even as Robbie mock-scowls at her as she leans against the abandoned air hockey table.

 

“I used to have the high score,” he reminds her, pointing a playfully accusatory finger at her.

 

“Yeah, until I moved here,” she teases.

 

“Small price to pay, I guess,” he says, linking his fingers through the belt loops on her jeans and the corners of her lips turn up into a smile as he kisses her, soft as the volume of the 70s’ music coming out in faint whispers from crackling speakers.

 

“They’re probably going to kick us out, you know,” she says as they break apart, but that doesn’t stop her hands from sliding up his jacket.

 

“Nah, people have done worse in here,” he says, unworried, his thumb grazing her bottom lip, meaning to kiss her again.

 

“Yeah, but I doubt Soccer Mom was here then,” she says, inclining her head to her left and he follows her line of sight to see a blond woman glaring at them as two identical young boys obliviously argue over a bag of chips next to her.

 

“We’re obviously corrupting the children, Robbie,” Daisy says, unable to keep a straight face, and Robbie just smirks.

 

“Can’t corrupt them if they can’t see us,” he says loftily, and she laughs over the music as he pulls her away from the table and around the corner, into the pocket of Moonraker Arcade where all the half-broken machines and faded neon lights go.

 

Still, the blue halo surrounding one intricate piece of luminescent calligraphy is bright enough to cast a glow onto Daisy’s skin, hanging over her head on the wall she’s pressed into as Robbie kisses her, over and over again.

 

Daisy is mesmerizing, and he can think of nothing else but her with the way her nails rake across his scalp, or how she tastes like cherry lip gloss; to say nothing of the way her breathing staggers when his lips find the space behind her ear.

 

It’s moments like these he can’t help but let himself fall utterly in love with her.

 

_Love._

 

He pulls back as the thought of love and Daisy merge in his mind and on his tongue once again, taking a moment to drink in the sight of her breathless under the blue light, wanting to memorize the feel of her hips under his hands and the way her eyelashes flutter as she looks at him.

 

“Something wrong?” she says, mistaking the reverence in his eyes for something else entirely.

 

“Not at all,” he replies, caressing her cheek with his knuckles.

 

“Then what is it?” she asks.

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Liar,” Daisy says, a grin curving her mouth as she wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him closer to her. “C’mon, baby, tell me what you’re thinking,” she murmurs, and God, his resolve is so weak when it comes to her he almost tells her the truth.

 

“Just thinking about how beautiful you are,” he says instead, and her nose crinkles at his words and even in the shadows and blue light he can see her flush.

 

“Sh-shut up,” she says, disarmed as always.

 

“Make me,” Robbie counters, and he only mildly regrets it for a split second before her lips press to his once again.

* * *

 

“Gabe should be here by now,” Eli remarks, frowning at his watch before peering into the sea of middle schoolers that stood outside Carter Academy. “Wasn’t debate club canceled today?”

 

“He’s probably just talking his bio teacher’s ear off, _Tio,_ ” Robbie says. “I’ll run in and get him.”

 

“Why don’t I do it?” Daisy offers, staring out the window, feeling sick at the sight of a certain banged up Volvo a ways away near the back of the school, “I’m actually small enough to pass for a middle-schooler, I’ll blend in more.”

 

Robbie snorts. “Fair enough. Knock yourself out.”

Daisy doesn’t need to be told twice, and she’s out of the Charger and across the lawn of Carter Academy faster than the thoughts flying through her head, her backpack banging against her hip. She’d been stupid to think that Moonraker meant anything more than a reprieve from hell, swallowing down the panic in her chest as she ran down the halls, thankful that she and Mary Ward had memorized the layout so long ago, thankful that Carter Academy was built like a grid.

 

Her fears were confirmed when she found herself and Gabe Reyes in the science hallway.

 

Gabe wasn’t alone, and was instead uncomfortably conversing with someone.

 

The one and only Christian Ward.


	6. when the lights go out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna wait to post this chapter but I need validation and also I want to see y'all's reaction to the pain 
> 
> You may have noticed that the rating of this has been changed to Mature 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Lotta physical abuse and some attempted sexual assault so be mindful please

Daisy’s hands curl into fists. What was Christian playing at? 

 

That wasn’t important right now. She had to help Gabe.

 

“Christian!” Her voice, hard as rock and angry, shakes as it rings through the otherwise empty hallway. 

 

Christian turns his head, a wicked smile playing on his features. “Daisy! How wonderful of you to finally join us,” he says.  Daisy storms forward, her shoes screeching on the tile floor as she sweeps between Gabe and Christian, planting herself like a tree in front of Gabe. 

 

“What are you doing?” she demands, her grip on the one functional strap on her backpack tightening. 

 

“Just having a friendly chat.”

 

“You know our deal,” she says through gritted teeth. “You’re not supposed to even glance at them, let alone have a ‘friendly chat.’” 

 

Gabe tries to interject. “Daisy-”

 

“Get to the car,” Daisy orders him.

 

“But-”

 

_ “Now.” _

 

Gabe turns and all but runs from the scene. 

 

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Daisy hisses. “Do you get off on terrorizing people or something?”

 

“Anger is a rather attractive look on you, you know.”

 

“You’re supposed to leave them alone. That’s the deal. I stay quiet and you stay away from them.”

 

“Come on, sweetheart, you know there’s more to it than that,” Christian sighs, taking a step towards her, and it takes all of Daisy’s willpower to not back up. “I heard you had a talk with Grant earlier.”

 

Daisy tenses. Grant, that scumbag, he must have ratted on her. 

 

“We talked. What’s your point?” she says, trying to remain stoic.

 

“My _ point? _ ” Christian says, his voice suddenly venomous. In a split second, he lashes out, grabbing her wrist and twisting it as he slams her against the wall, pinning her there. Her backpack falls to the floor and Daisy’s head cracks against the wall the same time her spine does, and a small cry of pain details her protest.

 

“You know damn well what my point is,” Christian snarls, his fingers digging into her wrist, painfully uncomfortable between her and Christian’s bodies, “Or have you forgotten a particular nuance of our agreement?” His eyes bore into her as they glare at each other, and even with all the anger in her, Daisy can’t feel anything stronger than the fear.

* * *

 

Robbie’s still wondering where Gabe and Daisy are until he sees his brother, weaving through classmates and bolting across the school parking lot. 

 

Alone. 

 

That confuses Robbie, sure, but not nearly as much as the look of fear on Gabe’s face, so clearly visceral and wide-eyed when he reaches the Charger. 

 

“There you are,” Eli says goodnaturedly as Gabe opens the door, but his tone changes quickly when he sees Gabe’s face. “Hey, what’s wrong, mijo?” 

 

“Gabe?” Robbie says. “Where’s Daisy?”  

 

Gabe’s almost too out of breath to answer.“She-science hallway- Christian-”

 

Christian.

 

Fuck.

 

Robbie swears loudly, swinging the Charger door open as Eli tries to get a coherent story out of Gabe. He doesn’t even hear it slam as he runs forward, following Gabe and Daisy’s paths, begging the universe to keep him from being too late. 

* * *

 

“Let me  _ go _ -” 

 

“You drew blood, Daisy,” Christian says softly, like he’s admonishing a child, “You know you’re not allowed to do that.”

 

“It wasn’t my fault,” she bites back. “Grant-”

 

“Grant made his choice, and he will be dealt with as such,” Christian interrupts. “You made your choice. The same applies to you.” The hand not holding her wrist in a vise-like grip comes up, brushing her hair away from her throat to curl around it, his thumb resting lightly on her windpipe. His eyes break contact to flick down to her collarbone, still tinged with the mark of Robbie’s kiss at Moonraker, and he scoffs. 

 

“I could kill you, you know,” he says. “Right now. I could just press harder and harder until you died. And no one would give a damn.”

 

She can’t cry, she can’t give him that satisfaction, she won’t. She tries to keep the promise to herself, glancing up at the bright lights of the hallway in an attempt to ward off any possible tears.

 

_ “Look at me,” _ Christian hisses, his knee hitting the wall between her legs with a thud. “Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

 

Daisy forces herself to meet his stare again, hating herself for the way her panicked pulse beats against the palm of his hand and for the tears pricking the backs of her eyes and welling up. 

 

He’s close, way too close and she tries to shrink back from him, but there’s nowhere to go, just an unforgiving wall and Christian. 

 

“Do you think it’d be easier if Grant hated you?” Christian says, his voice terrifyingly gentle, so much worse than the snarl,“If he knew for absolute certain he had no chance with you?” 

 

“Christian-” His hand on her throat grew tighter, a warning of silence. 

 

“I mean, think about it, Daisy. He knows he’s not allowed to touch what’s mine unless I say so. If you were mine…” Christian trails off, glancing down at her mouth with a delighted sort of cruelty in his eyes as she tries to twist out from under his hold.  “Don’t you want to see what that would be like?” 

 

Ignoring her choked protests, Christian dips his head forward, his lips an inch from hers. This isn’t about attraction. It’s about power, it’s a reminder and she fucking hates him for it. 

 

Something rips Christian off of her, sending him flying across the length of the hallway, and Daisy’s knees give out, sending her sliding down the wall. Her lungs can’t pull in enough air no matter how many times she gasps, and her hands are shaking as she draws her knees up to her chest, her wrist aching. 

 

“Daisy! Daisy, can you hear me? Are you okay?” 

 

She’s never been more relieved to hear Robbie Reyes’ voice, even if it’s shaking with worry and anger. His gloved hand finds her cheek, wiping the tears that have fallen, and his eyes search her for more signs of Christian’s hand. 

 

“That was a mistake,” Christian says, picking himself off of the floor.

 

Robbie rises from next to Daisy,  moving in front of her in a defensive stance and she doesn’t need to see his face to know he’s furious. 

 

“I’m not the one who made a mistake,” Robbie says, his voice low and tone livid. Daisy holds onto the wall to stabilize herself as she stumbles to her feet, feeling lightheaded. 

 

“I’m sure Daisy will disagree with you there,” Christian says nastily, and Robbie starts to surge forward with a snarled _ “Don’t you fucking dare-” _

 

“Robbie,” Daisy says, pleading, and her voice jerks him back, stopping him where he stands. 

 

Christian laughs, sneering as he walks out of Robbie’s range. “I’m going to get the little brat from book club,” he says, his gaze falling on Daisy now, “And then you’re coming back home with us.” 

 

“The fucking hell she is,” Robbie hisses.

 

Christian only smirks, and ignores him, still addressing Daisy. “You also have that time to explain to him why you’re coming with us,” he says. “Enjoy.”

 

And with that, he spins on his heel and walks away, leaving them behind.

* * *

 

Robbie turns to Daisy, moving to close the gap between them. “You alright?” he asks gently, his hand tucking her hair behind her ear, the other linking their fingers together.

 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says quietly, her eyes on the floor. “Thank you.”

 

“Let’s get out of here,” he says, going to lead her out of the school, but she stays rooted to the spot. 

 

He looks back at her, confused. “Daisy?” he says. “C’mon, let’s go.” 

 

She glances up at him, her expression pained. 

 

“I-I have to go, Robbie.”

 

He blinks. “What?” 

 

“I have to go back,” she says, a little more firmly. “It-it’ll be worse if I don’t.” 

 

“I don’t-no, Daisy-” He moves back towards her, trying to change her mind.

 

“I have to, I’m sorry-” 

 

“Just come home with me,” he says, desperate. He’s not blind, he saw what Christian tried to pull, he doesn’t want to just let her go back knowing what could happen.

 

“I’ll be okay,” she promises. “Mary will be home tonight, I’ll be safe.”

 

Helplessness burns like bile in the back of his throat, and Robbie clenches his jaw as Daisy stares at him, wide-eyed and pleading for him to understand, even though he never really can. 

 

This is the part he hates most, sending her back. 

 

“You call me  _ the second _ shit gets bad,” he says, his way of relenting. 

 

“I will,” she whispers, then hesitates. “Robbie...please don’t be mad at me.”

 

“I’m not, I’m not,” he reassures her hurriedly. “Not at you. I promise.” 

 

She moves, finally, if only to hug him with an almost painful desperation, her face buried into his shoulder. He returns the embrace, closing his eyes and trying to swallow the rock of upset in his throat, reluctant to lose the warmth of her, the smell of jasmine in her hair and the softness of her touch. 

 

“Be careful, _ querida _ , please,” he says softly. 

 

“I always am,” she replies, before breaking away, her warm brown eyes gazing up at him in a way that makes the words _ I love you _ choke on his tongue. She stands on her tiptoes to kiss him, quickly and sweetly, and he would pull her closer were it not for Christian’s voice echoing in the hall. 

 

“Time to go, Daisy.” 

 

Daisy gives Robbie one last, lingering look, entwining their fingers and gripping gently before letting go. Robbie turns with her as she seems to glide past him, his anger renewed at the sight of Christian, who stands with Thomas, quiet and afraid, a hand fisted on the top of his brother’s backpack. Daisy scoops her own bag off the floor before walking towards them. Christian roughly shoves Thomas forward, who stumbles into Daisy’s arms with a choked gasp. 

 

Robbie sees the bright fear in Thomas’ eyes and something in his chest twists as Christian herds Thomas and Daisy into the next hall over, making sure to flash a winning smile at Robbie as he turns away, but Robbie’s almost too busy staring at the way Daisy looks back for just a split second to notice.

 

And Robbie feels so goddamn alone and helpless he doesn’t know what else to do but stand there.

* * *

 

“Where’s Daisy?” Eli asks as Robbie slams the Charger door shut. 

 

“She’s not coming,” Robbie says shortly.

 

“What does that mean?” Eli says, puzzled.

 

“She went back with Christian and Thomas,” Robbie says, unwilling to really elaborate, and turns to Gabe. “You alright? What happened?” 

 

“I’m fine,” Gabe says. “Nothing happened, I was just talking to Mr. Robinson and when I went out into the hallway, Christian was there.”

 

“What’d he say to you?” 

 

“Nothing, just that he’d heard Thomas and I were working on a project together, told me to let him know if Thomas didn’t pull his weight,” Gabe admits. “Then Daisy came in, and she told me to go to the car. Is she okay?”

 

Robbie glances up, seeing his uncle’s concerned gaze in the rearview mirror. “Yeah, she’s fine. Let’s go home.” 

 

Eli doesn’t look convinced, but he pulls out of the parking lot anyway, and Robbie stares out the window, thinking about the look on Daisy’s face as she glanced back at him before leaving.


	7. it tore right through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> trigger warning for physical and psychological abuse

Thomas is shaking as they sit in the car, his arm linked through Daisy’s as he clings to the person least likely to hurt him. Daisy tries to appear calm as she combs his hair with his fingers, eyeing Christian in the driver’s seat.

 

“You know, I do a lot for you two,” Christian says, his knuckles white on the steering wheel, “I pick you up from school, I keep you out of trouble, hell, I do my damndest to make Grant leave you alone-  _ stop fucking crying, Thomas _ .” 

 

Thomas hiccups and Daisy can't do anything but hold him; there's no way to block out Christian's gaslighting, it only pisses him off more. Instead, she only grips an old phone(it used to be Robbie’s) in her other hand, recording Christian's rant. She'd like to get through all this without a legal battle, but Mary's asked her to keep some evidence that Christian doesn't know about, just in case. 

 

“I do everything, and  _ still _ , Mother picks  _ you _ , Thomas, the most useless and worthless out of all of us!” Christian seethes, and Daisy glances out the window, tense as the car speeds up, the world outside turning into a blur. 

 

“Christian, slow down,” she says.

 

“Don’t tell me what to do!” he roars back at her, flooring the gas. Thomas whimpers as the engine groans and the wind whistles outside the window. 

 

“And you, Daisy, God, I’m so sick of you,” he goes on. “I have no idea why you haven’t been sent back yet; nobody wants you around here. You weren’t anything more than a goddamned publicity stunt, so who the fuck knows why you’re still around-”

 

Daisy watches the needle of the speedometer hike up to over seventy, and continue rising.

 

“You’re going to get us all killed!” she shouts. “Slow down!” 

 

The wheel jerks to the side, and the entire car spins. A scream catches in Daisy’s throat as the car screeches to a halt on the side of the road, Thomas’ hold on her an iron grip. Keys still swinging in the ignition, Christian throws off his seatbelt and heaves the driver’s side door open, storming out of the car. 

 

Daisy unclicks the latch on her own seatbelt, wondering if she can make it to the driver’s seat when her own car door opens with an awful groan. Christian’s hand hooks around her arm and jerks her to the right, and she yelps as he pulls her out of the car, Thomas sobbing in the background

 

She hits the ground flat, the wind knocked out of her lungs. Spitting the taste of dust out of her mouth, she tries to get to her feet, but Christian’s ready for her.  Hands fisting in her shirt, he yanks her up and shoves her against the car, a tinny  _ thunk _ elicited with the collision of her body against the metal. 

 

“Stop fucking telling me what to do!” he shouts, his angry voice ringing in her ears, “If you fucking- _ listen to me you fucking bitch- _ ” His fingers twist tighter, his nails scratching lightly against her skin. She stops struggling, her heart thudding. 

 

“If you tell me what to do again,” Christian hisses, his voice a snarl, “I will make you regret it, do you understand?” 

 

She swallows hard, trying to ensure that her voice doesn’t shake when she speaks. 

 

“Do you understand?” Christian repeats, eyes dark. “I will hurt you, or Thomas, or Mary if you do that again, am I clear?” 

 

“Yes,” she says finally, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. Satisfied at her fear, he lets go, stepping back and dusting himself off, like touching her had contaminated him.

 

“Get in the car,” he says calmly. “Now.” 

 

She says nothing as he turns to make his way back around the car. She forces herself to stop shaking as she takes her place next to Thomas, who watches her with worried eyes. She gives him a tight smile as she puts her seatbelt back on and shuts the car door. Christian steers back onto the road, voice quiet and speed steady. 

 

Wordlessly, Thomas hands her the phone. It’s just stopped recording, and she makes a mental note to upload it to her email later. Tucking it into her pocket, she ruffles his hair, winding an arm around him, and with a gentle squeeze, she conveys a promise of a better future.

* * *

 

Mary and Grant are already home when they walk through the front door, a perk of taking the bus home. Christian, of course has his car, but no one will ask him for a ride if they can help it. Thomas rushes for his room, stammering something about homework, and Daisy follows him up the stairs, making her way towards her own room.

 

Well, not just hers. It’s Mary’s too. Thomas is the only one who has his own room, while Christian shares with Grant, a fact they both resent. 

 

“You okay, kiddo?” she whispers to Thomas when they reach the top of the stairs. 

 

“Yeah. You?” he says softly. 

 

“I’m good,” she lies, and he knows it. “Go have fun with your homework.” 

 

He goes down the hall, and she turns into her and Mary’s room. 

 

The door creaks open, and Mary’s head whips up from a book she’s reading, with tense shoulders that relax when she sees it’s only Daisy, who shuts the door behind her.

 

“Hey.”

 

“Hey yourself.” Daisy shrugs her backpack off onto her bed, which sits opposite Mary’s. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she checks that it’s connected to the house internet. The phone doesn’t have service, but she’s learned to download a solitary messaging app that’s been a lifesaver in the past few months. 

 

_ I’m at the house, _ she messages Robbie before turning to Mary. 

 

“The drive home was fun,” she says tonelessly. Mary glances up again. 

 

“What happened?” 

 

Daisy opens the video gallery and hands her the phone. Mary takes a pair of earbuds from her nightstand and plugs it in, playing the recent video. She watches and listens to it with no expression, just a blank slate, and the minutes tick by. The phone buzzes, and Mary hands the phone back to Daisy. “It’s your boyfriend.”

 

Daisy checks the messages, smiling a bit at his reply. 

 

_ Thanks for letting me know. Stay safe. _

 

“You going to upload the video?” Mary says, breaking into her thoughts.

 

“Yeah,” Daisy replies. “I’ll do it later though.” 

“Okay.” 

 

“You doing alright?” Daisy asks. Mary’s so quiet and stoic, Daisy never knows what’s going on inside her head.    
  


Mary runs a hand through her close-cropped hair with a sigh. “I guess.” 

 

“How’s Angie?” Daisy drops her voice low when mentioning Mary’s girlfriend. The house is big, but the walls are thin, and the Ward family has a hard time catering to anything other than straight white men. 

 

“She’s okay, thanks,” Mary replies. “Robbie?”

 

“He’s fine.” Daisy pauses for a beat, then says, “He was there, though. When Christian picked me up with Thomas.” 

 

Mary winces. “Did he do anything?” 

 

“I think he definitely wanted to but...no.”

 

Mary nods, relieved. “Did Christian do anything?” 

 

“Pushed buttons, like he always does,” Daisy says, shrugging. “He’s pissed at me, though.” 

 

The weak smile on Mary’s face falters. “Why? What happened?”

 

“Grant and I...got into an argument, at school,” Daisy admits. “He tried to ‘apologize’ about last night, I snapped at him, and he took a swing.”

 

Mary swears through her teeth. “I fucking told him to leave it alone,” she hisses. “He always makes it worse,  _ always. _ ”

 

“I know.” 

 

“Well, I’m sorry,” Mary says. “I’m sorry my brother is such a dumbass.” 

 

“You and me both.”

 

Mary half-heartedly smiles, then her brow creases in recognition. “Hey, isn’t that my shirt?”

Daisy glances down at herself. “Oh...yeah. I think it got mixed in with my stuff.”

 

Mary waves it away. “Don’t worry about it. I’m pretty sure I’m wearing your socks right now.”

 

That gets a small laugh out of both of them, and Daisy feels a little better. She doesn’t feel safe in the Ward house, but having Mary around makes it easier.

 

“I’ll cover you if you need a shower tonight,” Mary says. 

 

“Likewise, thanks.” Daisy definitely feels like she needs one. There’s a certain feeling of uncleanliness that comes with being around Christian. She can still feel his hand on her throat, an extra phantom limb that won’t go away. “So, is it a late night for your parents?”

 

“For Mother, yeah. Father’s just working on a campaign for next election, but he’ll probably get the secretary he’s sleeping with to do most of it.” 

 

Daisy lets out a low whistle. “Seriously? Since when?” 

 

“Not sure, but he needs to be more careful if he doesn’t want to get caught; he was still signed into his email when I went to use the computer.”

 

“Damn.” 

 

“Yeah,” Mary reaches under her mattress, digging around before straightening up again, holding a money clip. “On the bright side, I’m now funded.”

 

“Sweet,” Daisy said, though disconcerted at the thought of a man paying his daughter to keep quiet about an affair. Mary saw her expression. 

 

“I know, it’s messed up. It’s just until Mother finds out, which, if he keeps being dumb about it, will be pretty soon.” Mary’s phone chirps, and she looks down at it. “It’s Angie. Could you watch the door for me?” 

 

Daisy nods, heading outside, ready to stand guard.

* * *

 

It’s late when the house finally falls silent. Mary and Daisy have stayed inside their room, listening for opening doors, careful to have each other’s backs during quick showers. They lay in their opposite beds now, an overwhelming silence thudding in the air. The door is closed, but not locked, as Christian has cited safety reasons when appealing to his parents in an attempt to punish Mary. 

 

There’s no creaking floorboard, no soft, taunting knock. Just silence. Lying there, Daisy can hear the gentle rhythm of Mary’s breathing. Having Mary in the room is slightly comforting, but there’s an aching loneliness in the quiet of the night, a feeling of something missing. 

 

Daisy realizes that the missing something is Robbie. Tears prick her eyes, and she swipes them away, feeling stupid. She’ll see him tomorrow, there’s no reason to feel like this. 

 

Still, that doesn’t stop her from pulling a certain hoodie tighter around her as she falls into a fitful sleep. 

 


	8. we're gonna make it II

“You going to be alright?” Eli says, glancing in the rearview mirror at Robbie, who nods as he shrugs off his seatbelt. 

 

“Hey-” Eli snaps his fingers as Robbie moves to open the car door, “ _ Mírame. _ ”

 

Robbie sighs, looking up at his uncle at the command. 

 

“Don’t do anything stupid,  _ mijo _ . You know what I mean.” 

 

“It’ll be fine,” Robbie says, pushing the door to the Charger open. The grass is still wet with morning dew under his sneakers as he makes his way up to the porch of the Ward house. He’s done it before, tons of times, but it feels different this time, more sinister. There’s more weight in his step, a heavy dread in his movements. If this is how Daisy feels every time she goes back, it’s a testament to her strength that she hasn’t run far, far away at this point. 

 

He knocks on the door, brisk and hard. He’s not sure what he expects: maybe the hard, thin-lipped line of Mrs. Ward’s mouth, or the scowl of her husband. Maybe the deadened expression on Mary’s face or the caged-animal look in Grant’s eyes. As long as it isn’t-

 

The door opens, and Robbie internally curses. “Well, good morning. Robbie, isn’t it?’

 

Christian’s patronizing smile remains firm even as Robbie stares daggers at him. 

 

“Yeah,” Robbie says after a moment’s silence, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m here to pick up Daisy.” 

 

“Of course. I’m sure she’s around here somewhere-” 

 

“Or right here.” Robbie feels a surge of relief at the sight of Daisy edging around Christian, looking tired but unharmed as she takes Robbie’s hand and starts to move to go down the steps of the porch.

 

“You have plans after school?” Christian asks her innocently. Annoyance flashes over Daisy’s face, but she turns back to Christian. 

 

“I’m staying the night at Elena’s,” she says. Christian looks like he’s about to object, Robbie can see the delight in his eyes as he opens his mouth, a but low rumbling makes them all glance back towards the dirt road. A large pickup truck with chipped paint and cloudy lights growls as it passes Eli’s Charger, and it’s Mary slipping by Christian that breaks them all out of hypnosis. 

 

“No going out tonight for you,” Christian calls after her. Mary looks back with a set jaw, but nods without fighting him on it, and Daisy’s grip on Robbie’s hand grows tighter. 

 

Mary heads for the truck, and Robbie can see a girl with dark skin and long braids falling over her shoulders in the driver’s seat, watching them with a tense expression. Angie, Mary’s girlfriend, according to Daisy. 

 

Christian focuses his attention on Daisy. “Elena’s, you say?” he says. “Fine. Have fun.” He smiles again, dismissing her as he turns back into the house, the door closing behind him with a resolute bang. 

 

Daisy’s expression is sour, but she’s quiet as they head to the Charger, her thumb rubbing circles over the leather glove covering Robbie’s hand like she’s trying to comfort him. 

 

Robbie has a feeling that he isn’t the one she’s trying to calm down.

* * *

 

The ride to school is almost unbearably silent. Daisy can feel the quiet pressing into her chest, the air filled with a million questions that no one is going to ask, not yet, at least. Eli keeps looking at her in the rearview mirror, and Gabe glances back at her every so often, but she can’t meet either of their eyes. She doesn’t want to see the worry and pity in Eli’s gaze, or the questions and fear in Gabe’s. 

 

The shame in her chest burns, bright and hot, and she tucks herself against Robbie, her head on his shoulder, hugging her backpack tightly as his arm winds around her waist. 

 

She can’t stop thinking about the smile on Christian’s face, the way he relished telling Mary that she was tied to the house tonight, the knowing grin he wore as he looked back to her. If Daisy was out of the house, that meant that Mary was left alone and vulnerable in the house. He was making her choose between her freedom or Mary’s safety, and she hated playing this game. 

 

Eli drops them off, and Robbie takes her hand as his uncle drives away, and she looks him in the eye for the first time that morning. She has a feeling he can see the misery in her expression because he doesn’t suggest they meet up with the others, just walks with her to a spot near the back of the school, where she goes to get away when she needs to. 

 

Her backpack thuds against the brick wall where she tosses it, running her hands through her hair while she tries to not break down. 

 

“Daisy,” Robbie says softly from behind her, the first thing he’s said to her all morning. She turns to face him, and he pulls her into a hug. She buries her face into his shoulder, his arms tight around her and for just a second, she feels safe, like she could stay like this forever. 

 

“I was worried about you yesterday,” Robbie murmurs into her hair, and the words make something in her ache. 

 

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, tears pricking her eyes, much to her annoyance. She feels like she’s always crying these days.

 

“Not your fault.” Robbie’s voice turns raspy before he breaks away, his gloved hands coming up to cup her face. 

 

“Are you hurt at all?” he asks, searching her expression. She thinks back to yesterday, her throat closing up as she thinks of the drive back. It rattled her, sure, but she hadn’t been hurt.

 

She shakes her head and doesn’t miss the way some of the tension in his shoulders melts away. 

 

“Okay.” His voice is quiet, and he presses a kiss to her forehead, a soft promise of better times to come, and Daisy has to swallow the words  _ I love you _ as they form on her tongue.

 

“I don’t know what to do tonight,” she confesses instead. Robbie pulls back, nodding in understanding. 

 

“Mary have any kind of plan for when you’re out?” he asks.

 

“Angie stays close to the house if she can, and Mary doesn’t leave her room,” she replies, wringing her hands. They’re both silent for a moment, assessing the flimsy back-up solution.

 

“I’m going to tell Elena I can’t do it,” Daisy says finally. 

 

“You sure?” 

 

“Mary’d stay behind for me. It feels wrong to not do the same,” she says solemnly. 

 

Robbie doesn’t say anything as the bell rings in the background, just embraces her again before they part ways to go to class. 

 

It’s not the first time all of this happens, and it isn’t the last either. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Thanks for sticking through so far!
> 
> When we come back to the story, there's going to be a chunk of time that's passed, along with a new character and some fun stuff. Hope you guys like it!

**Author's Note:**

> Comment/kudos, please!


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